Device and method for maintaining a golfer&#39;s grip



May 3, 1966 w. M. GOLDBERG ER 3,249,359

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MAINTAINING A GOLFERS GRIP Filed Feb. 15, 1963 R a ma 5 TB Y ND E w N N R M w M A M u W m United States Patent O The present invention relates to a method of controlling the movements of a golfer to produce a uniform golf swing; and more particularly to equipment which assists a golfer in maintaining an unchanging grip upon a golf club.

Golfers have long recognized the importance of using a consistent and uniform swing in the making of golf shots. Golfers have also recognized that any relative movement between the hands of a golfer and the golf club during a stroke prior to the time of impact will produce an inconsistency between strokes which will make the results inaccurate and unpredictable.

In the conventional grip of a golf club, the hand of the arm that is positioned in the direction to which the ball is to be hit. grasps the upper end of the golf club, and the other hand of the golfer grasps the club immediately below the upper hand. In the discussion and claims which follow, the hand which grasps the upper end of the golf club will be called the upper hand, and the hand which grasps the club beneath the upper hand will be called the lower hand.

The present invention is based uponthe observation that one of the common faults of golfers occurs by reason of a relaxation of the lower hand during a golf shot which causes not only a change in the power which is transmitted to the club, but also causes a slight rotation of the golf club.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is the provision of a new and improved method for assisting a golfer in maintaining an unchanging grip of a golf club throughout a stroke.

A further object of the invention is the provision of new and improved means for assisting a golfer in maintaining a secure grip of a golf club by this lower hand during a stroke of the club.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiment described with reference to the following specification and drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of a pair of hands grasping a golf club and showing one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. '3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing another embodiment of the invention.

According to the present invention, a golfers hands are placed on a golf club in the usual manner with the leading, or upper hand adjacent the upper end of the club and the other, or lower hand immediately below it. Tension is applied on the lower hand upwardly in the direction of the upper hand by a tension member connecting the two hands. The golfer is conscious of the tension that is placed upon his lower hand by the tension member, so he grasps the club in his lower hand with sufficient force to overcome the tension. In so doing his lower hand automatically applies suflicient tightness about the golf club to prevent slipping and turning of the club in his hand The lower hand is at the same time held tightly against theupper hand to further prevent relative rotation between the hands. In addition, some of the centrifugal force of the golf club is transferred through the lower hand, and the tension member to the arm of the upper hand of which the shoulder acts as a pivot during Patented May 3, 1966 erably made of an elastic material which will providean upward biasing force even though some slight movement occurs.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the lower 'hand is placed in a glove 10 to which one end of a strong rubber tension member 11 is attached. The glove of course, fits snugly between the fingers and between the thumb and index finger; and the tension member 11 is fastened to the ,glove 10 upwardly of the connection between the thumb and index finger. The upper end of the tension member 11 is secured in an adjustable buckle 13 having one portion 14 of a male and female snap fastener attached thereto. Another portion 15 of the snap fastener is aflixed to a wrist band 16 that is secured above the wrist of the upper hand. The purpose of the male and female portions 14 and 15 is to provide a separable connection by means of which the upper and lower hands easily can be disconnected. The wrist band 16 is of conventional construction and is clamped in place by two adjustable straps 17 and 18.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 the tension member 19 is a loop made from rubber and through which the thumb of the lower hand is positioned. The upper ends of the loop forming the tension member 19 are secured to an adjustable buckle 40, which in turn is sewn to a short strap, not shown, that is connected to the wrist strap 21. The wrist strap 21 is of conventional construction and is tightened around the wrist of the upper hand by two adjustable straps 22 and 23. The loop 19 1 member 19 is greater than that required to prevent turning of the club in the lower hand. The tension that is applied by the tension member is a constant reminder that a firm grip must be maintained so that the user provides the necessary grip throughout the stroke. The same type of action occurs with the first described embodiment.

It will be apparent that the objects heretofore enumerated as well as others have-been accomplished and that there has been provided a new and improved means forcorrecting a golfers faulty grip of a golf club.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail, I do not wish to be limited to the particular embodiments shown and described and it is my intention to cover hereby all novel adaptations, modifications and arrangements thereof which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

What I claim is:

1. A device for positioning and securing a golfers hands on a golf club shaft comprising, in combination,

a wrist band, a strap having one end thereof secured to said wrist band and extending therefrom a distance no greater than the distance between the wrist of a first hand and the thumb of a second hand when said hands are positioned on said club shaft with said first hand adjacent the end of said club shaft and said second hand immediately below and overlapping the thumb of said first hand, and a glove having the area adjacent its thumb secured to the other end of said strap whereby, when said wrist band is attached to the wrist of said first hand and said second hand is placed in said glove and thence in saidoverlapping position on said club shaft, said strap will prevent said hands from moving apart from one another on said shaft during the execution of a golf stroke.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said strap is comprised of an elastic material which, when not under tension, extends for a distance slightly less than the distance between the Wrist of said first hand and the thumb of said second hand when said hands are placed in said position on said shaft with said first hand adjacent the end of said club shaft and said second hand immediately below and overlapping the thumb of said first hand.

3. A method of positioning and securinga golfers hands on a golf club with a first hand adjacent the end of the club shaft and a second hand immediately below and overlapping the thumb of said first hand comprising the steps of (1) securing to the wrist of said upper hand a wrist band with a strap extending from said wrist band parallel to the axis of said wrist band, (2) adjusting'the length of said strap to extend substantially from said wrist band to the position of the thumb of said second hand when said hands are so positioned on said club,

(3) securing said strap to the thumb of said second hand, (4) placing said first hand onsaid club shaft adjacent its end, and (5) placing said second hand on said club shaft immediately below and overlapping the thumb of said first hand so that said strap is placed under tension, whereby movement of said first and second hands away from one another on said club shaft-during the execution of a golf stroke is prevented.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,022,910 12/1925 Hanley 273--35 2,379,430 7/1945 Frost 273-166 XR 2,496,808 2/1950 Moore 273-166 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. G. ALMARLO, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR POSITIONING AND SECURING A GOLFER''S HANDS ON A GOLF CLUB SHAFT COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A WRIST BAND, A STRAP HAVING ONE END THEREOF SECURED TO SAID WRIST BAND AND EXTENDING THEREFROM A DISTANCE NO GREATER THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE WRIST OF A FIRST HAND AND THE THUMB OF A SECOND HAND WHEN SAID HANDS ARE POSITIONED ON SAID CLUB SHAFT WITH SAID FIRST HAND ADJACENT THE END OF SAID CLUB SHAFT AND SAID SECOND HAND IMMEDIATELY BELOW AND OVERLAPPING THE THUMB OF SAID FIRST HAND, AND A GLOVE HAVING THE AREA ADJACENT ITS THUMB SECURED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID STRAP WHEREBY, WHEN SAID WRIST BAND IS ATTACHED TO THE WRIST OF SAID FIRST HAND AND SAID SECOND HAND IS PLACED IN SAID GLOVE AND THENCE IN SAID OVERLAPPING POSITION ON SAID CLUB SHAFT, SAID STRAP WILL PREVENT SAID HANDS FROM MOVING APART FROM ONE ANOTHER ON SAID SHAFT DURING THE EXECUTION OF A GOLF STROKE. 